• Tables are more complete and less visual
  • Usually summary data
  • Precise values are important
  • Need to compare individual values

• Tables are more complete and less visual
  • Usually summary data
  • Precise values are important
  • Need to compare individual values

• Graphs visually represent an entire data set
  • Show relationships between sets of data
  • Can show overall trends in data

• How to decide?
  • Are the variables qualitative or quantitative?
  • How many data points are there?
  • How many variables are there?
  • Is it important to show trends in the data?

• Some practical tips:
  • Show data relevant to your main point
  • Divide the data into appropriate categories
  • Accurately label categories and columns
  • Raw data is rarely presented
  • Use summary data (means & SD)
  • Declutter your table!
  • Include a concise caption above the table

• Use only horizontal line borders and double line spacing

• You can compile different results from different papers

• Microsoft Excel is the easiest choice
  • There are much better programs available

• You must customize your Excel graph/s
  • Tip: start with a blank figure

• Clarity is once again the name of the game:
  • Label all elements of the graph
  • Use a key to explain different colors, groups, etc.
  • Declutter your graph
  • Avoid large areas of white space on the plot
  • Modify axis ranges to emphasize patterns

• Computer type and software version matter
  • Practice and know your system
  • Excel and Powerpoint may both be necessary for capstone

• Be cautious with auto-making graphs
  • which data went on which axis???

• Working with images:
  • snapshot tool w/ PDFs
  • screenshot to capture images

• Figure legends can be created in Powerpoint or Word

• Gives the reader information to understand a figure
  • readers should NOT have to refer to main text

• Start your legend with one sentence that declares the main result in the figure

• Explain everything depicted in the figure
  • panels, variables, abbreviations, genotypes, p values
  • any methodological information necessary to understand the data
  • do not repeat items that are on the figure

• Do NOT interpret patterns

• Do NOT combine Figure # and text into a sentence

Figure 5. Epiphytic tropical ferns are not more drought tolerant than terrestrial or hemi-epiphytic tropical ferns. (a) Raw results from 211 pressure–volume curves from 38 tropical fern species. Box plots of turgor loss point (b) and osmotic potential at saturation (c) across tropical fern life forms. Relationship between tissue capacitance at full turgor and the bulk modulus of elasticity for tropical ferns (d) and box plots of the tissue capacitance after turgor loss (inset). Fits for panels (a) and (d) for each fern life form uses loess regression for visualization purposes. Box plot widths are proportional to the number of measured species in each life form.

Minimal differences in leaf pressure–volume parameters were detected among the three life forms (Figure 5a). The turgor loss point (Ψtlp) marginally varied by life form (p = 0.051) and post hoc comparisons did not detect differences in Ψtlp across terrestrial, hemi-epiphytic, or epiphytic ferns. Broadly, terrestrial and hemi-epiphytic fern species had trended towards slightly lower Ψtlp than epiphytic species (Figure 5b). The osmotic potential at saturation (Ψo) was also lower in terrestrial compared to epiphytic species (p = 0.009, Figure 5c), while the modulus of elasticity (ε) was similar across all life forms. The relative water content at turgor loss point did not vary between fern life forms. The tissue capacitance between saturation and turgor loss (Cft) was not different between life forms, however; the tissue capacitance after turgor loss (CTLP) was 54% lower in epiphytic compared to terrestrial species (p = 0.009, Figure 5d insert). Additionally, Cft declined quickly with increasing ε for all species (Figure 5d)

• Maximize the space given to the presentation of data e.g. make points and lines easy to see

• Be smart with color. Do you really need it?
  • use color-blind friendly palettes
  • use white backgrounds

• Minimum resolution of 300 dpi
  • options are available for different formats (jpg, pdf, tif, png)

• Use vector graphics

• Avoid 3D graphs